Cessna 150H accident near Vero Beach, Florida, May 5, 1986
On May 5, 1986 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6989S, was destroyed in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1986 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6989S · no longer on the register · serial 15067689
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI & STUDENT PLT WERE ON A TRAINING FLT. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENG SPUTTER, THEN CUT OUT COMPLETELY. ONE WITNESS SAID HE THOUGHT THE PLT WOULD ATTEMPT A LANDING TO THE SOUTH, LENGTHWISE, INTO A PASTURE BORDERED ON ALL SIDES BY TREES APRX 50 FT HIGH. THE ACFT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN WHILE DESCENDING & REMAINED OVER THE TREES OUTSIDE THE PASTURE'S EASTERN BOUNDRY. APRX MIDWAY DOWN THE PASTURE'S LENGTH WHILE STILL OVER THE TREES, THE ACFT (NOW ON A SW OR DOWNWIND HEADING) BEGAN A STEEPER RIGHT BANK & THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE LIMB. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED INTO THE PASTURE CROSSWISE. THE SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 070 DEGS AT 12 GUSTING 18 KTS. THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION, THE THROTTLE WAS FULLY OPEN, THE MAG SW WAS ON 'BOTH' & THE MIXTURE WAS IN THE 'RICH' POSITION. POLICE & FIRE/RESCUE PERSONNEL DENIED TURNING THE VALVE OFF AFTER THE ACCIDENT. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED HEAD INJURIES & COULD NOT RECALL THE ACCIDENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,750 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 17, 1985; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Ft. Pierce FL at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:32 pm from VRB, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.